6 Reasons to Embrace Minimalist Living

Written byjoshua becker ·

“Never underestimate the importance of abandoning crap you don’t need.”

Eight years ago, I decided to embrace minimalist living.

At first, the reasons were simple. I was spending too much of my life caring for possessions and I was wasting too much money on stuff I didn’t need. These possessions were not bringing me joy or lasting happiness. Even worse, they were keeping me from the very things that did.

Possessions had become the great distraction in my life. And the most effective way to fully recenter my life on the things that mattered most was to remove the excess physical possessions from my home and life.

Since then, I’ve been asked countless times if I think minimalism is just a phase. I always answer the same, “Absolutely not.”

Minimalism is a better way to live. It brings freedom, clarity, and opportunity. And each of us should consider embracing it in our own unique way. Consider these six reasons.

2. More intentionality in all areas of life. Countless voices and messages seek influence in our lives. They desire to shape what we believe, what we buy, what we watch, what we eat, and how we live. Intentionality brings life back under our control. Minimalism jumpstarts intentional living by forcing us to identify our values. As a result, we can better identify how we have been swayed by artificial influences.

3. More space to live our fullest life. Our lives require space. But in a world of ever-increasing speed, time for reflection becomes more and more difficult to discover. Owning fewer possessions means less cleaning, less organizing, less repairing, and less financial burden. It frees up time, energy, and space—space that can be spent examining life to make sure we are living it to the fullest.

4. More focus on contribution. Even if for selfish reasons, it is wise for each of us to evaluate where we seek meaning. Happiness found in living life for personal gain is short-lived, never fully satisfying. On the other hand, using our resources for the purpose of improving life for someone else offers lasting joy. Moving our focus from personal gain to personal contribution is not always the result of embracing minimalism, but it does become much easier.

5. More flexibility for life change. Over the past eight years, our family has made some significant changes. We have changed careers. We have moved to a smaller home. We have discovered new hobbies. We have changed the way we spend our money. And we have changed many of the habits that define our lives. In each of the examples listed above, minimalism helped make the change possible. One of the greatest benefits of living with fewer possessions is freedom—freedom to live and change and improve—even if the specific changes are up to you.

6. More inspiration for others. Our world is losing itself in consumeristic pursuits. Home sizes are growing, but happiness is not. We chase paychecks rather than influence and success rather than significance. The results of these choices have proven detrimental: stress, anxiety, fatigue, and regret. We need new inspiration. We need more people rejecting consumerism and choosing life instead.

Embrace minimalism for yourself. Embrace minimalism for your family. Embrace minimalism for the world around you. Because the stakes are high.

About Joshua Becker

Writer. Inspiring others to live more by owning less.WSJ Bestselling author of The More of Less.

Comments

I have been a minimalist most of my life really without knowing it. My idea was always to live small. I am facinated with living a small life so I can live big outdoors which is really where life happens. My husband and I live in a 960 sq ft condo, share one 12 year old car which just turned 80K miles. We own our condo (not the bank) and we share the only bathroom in the house. That being said, it takes effort not to be sucked in by media who tells us what we need to buy to be cool to look hip and trendy. Most who live around us think there is really something wrong with us because we don’t drive a BMW but that’s ok. We walk to the market for dinner, we ride our bikes for pleasure and our vacations are five days a week, me only working two days a week to make our modest lifestyle affordable. Yes, it only takes two days a week to make enough money to live on when you live minimally. And we have never wanted for anything. That’s pretty good for living in one of the most expensive areas of the US.

Live simply so others can simply live and take only what you need and leave the rest.

Wow Reney, that is such an inspiration! I’m 5 months in on a 6 month purge. I’m 90% there but still struggling to let go of some things. Not the sentimental stuff … that, I’ve actually managed to let go of. No, it’s just some of the other ‘stuff’! And I haven’t quite stopped buying stuff I don’t need. Magazines or books or clothes for instance. Mostly secondhand, but with that money I know I could have a week away or have exciting experience. I’m very fortunate in that I do not have to work, but I’m at the stage where I want to work – for myself, doing something I truly love. I’m fed up of being bombarded with messages to ‘aspire’ to this, or that and you can’t possibly live without these … blah, blah, blah! Thanks for your post.

This post really resonates. My husband and I have turned to a more minimalist lifestyle after moving away from London 5 years ago. For me your number 5, this flexibility for change has been most on my mind these last few days, as I prepare to give up my career for… more time to pursue other things. Thic could only happen after we decided that we can live on a lot less than people will have us think…

I do think I have always been a minimalist in heart and soul but only discovered recently the word minimalism. I don’t what it was but as I child I was always trying not to go shopping for clothes and I always was telling my mom I didn’t need anything. I grew up in a rather wealthy family and money was no issue. Sometimes I was even ashamed by the fact I was different than the rest of my family and was made fun of. My brother was driving a fancy car and I was driving an old beetle almost falling apart but I just loved my old car. I spent some time in Africa where thyLittle by little I took over the consumer life style and the accumulation of possessions.

I do think I have always been a minimalist in heart and soul but only discovered recently the word minimalism. I don’t what it was but as I child I was always trying not to go shopping for clothes and I always was telling my mom I didn’t need anything. I grew up in a rather wealthy family and money was no issue. Sometimes I was even ashamed by the fact I was different than the rest of my family and was made fun of. My brother was driving a fancy car and I was driving an old beetle almost falling apart but I just loved my old car. I spent some time in Africa where there were hardly any shops and no junk to buy and realized that mthyLittle by little I took over the consumer life style and the accumulation of possessions.

I do think I have always been a minimalist in heart and soul but only discovered recently the word minimalism. I don’t what it was but as I child I was always trying not to go shopping for clothes and I always was telling my mom I didn’t need anything. I grew up in a rather wealthy family and money was no issue. Sometimes I was even ashamed by the fact I was different than the rest of my family and was made fun of. My brother was driving a fancy car and I was driving an old beetle almost falling apart but I just loved my old car. I spent some time in Africa where there were hardly any shops and no junk to buy and realized that mthyLittle by little I took over the consumer life style and the accumulation of possessions.

So inspiring… my husband and I are on that mission now : We are in the process of reclaiming our home which is small, cozy, but mostly cluttered and a source of stress. We have set a goal for ourselves (and our family) to reduce our belongings by 50%. So far, I would easily say we’ve reached about 20% of that.

But it was automatic, the less we have, the happier we are and that makes us just want to get rid of more.

Here follows the remaining:
Later I spent some time in Africa where there were hardly any shops available and realized that my life was much easier that way. When I came back to Europe little by little the consumer life style took over and I was drowning among my possessions. My partner at that time opened my eyes and helped me to get rid off my things. It almost came naturally and the more I sold or gave away my stuff the better I started feeling. But I it is a process that takes years.

I’m in my early 50’s and now in the process of unloading 30 years worth of possessions. I keep thinking how different my life might have been had I understood this way of living in my 20’s.
I have no regrets though, we all have our path to follow and I have truly been fortunate to have had the stuff I accumulated and now am giving away.

Minimalism has become much more to me than just having less stuff…it has also become about making choices as to how I spent my time. I no longer feel guilty about not being constantly on the go…it’s OK just to sit still and be. And the activities I choose I truly want to do instead of feeling like “I should”.

I am in a very similar situation to Marie Katherine. Likewise, however, I don’t do regret, I only look forward to what can be rather than back to what is no longer possible. In the space of a year (anniversary this month) our home has changed beyond compare. Our lifestyles have mellowed and we have achieved most of the points you mentioned above. I have a new career I love in an area I never ever expected to work. I have published a book and I have time to meditate, to walk and to enjoy life. I feel as if I am living a slower life than ever before, yet people keep asking me how I do so much! I’m no longer tied down by stuff I suppose.

Janet Luhrs’ book is a classic and stems from a time when minimalists were instead referred to as those who chose voluntary simplicity (the name has change but similar ideas). Her Simple Loving book is also very good. It is difficult to get a hold of her newsletters however, so if anyone out there knows how please let me know. If you are interested in Luhrs and have not read Your Money or Your Life by Dominguez and Robin definitely do so. The Northwest Earth Institute also has great resources (their voluntary simplicity program is excellent and can be found in locations nationwide)–I’m a Midwesterner now but grew up in the Pacific Northwest where this grassroots effort began…really amazing people.

The word that got me started on the path of minimalism came from Flylady–declutter. I yearned for simplicity and so I started decluttering. That was 10 years ago–10 years of purging periods that would last for a week or a month or even a few months, to be followed by the too-busy-to-notice accumulation of stuff. In this, my eleventh year of trying to declutter, I feel like I finally get it. What I took from Flylady, bless her heart, was a system. What I realized two months ago is that minimalism is not a system, it’s a value. When I live by my value I will have no more need to declutter, destuff, and dehectify.

Im just recently started embracing minimalism. But…the problem is when living with someone that doesnt understand the words “less” and “reducing” at all. It would be great living in a studio apartment by myself, but when i have to shear my life with another person its impossible to avoid that the other persons stuff is clutter my life. My heart is hurting everytime my love one is bringing another plastic bag with just more useless’ stuff into our house. The last purchase she did was a large plastic container to keep cupcakes in (!). Totally useless, since we already have plenty of tupperwares big enough for that. Being a green minimalist is really difficult for me….it would just be so much easier if the two of us shared the same mindset about minimalism… :(

I understand completely as I have battled that for 25 plus years. We were married had nothing and were fine. Adding more as the house grew larger. Now kids are moving on and I want less!! Hubby has hard time letting go as buys useless things at the discount store,ugh… I have little by little cleaned through the house avoiding his stuff hoping as I do he will get the hint. Along with choice articles from this blog sent to his email. People are resistant to letting go and think this is slow process for some but at some point he will hopefully be on board!

Oh this is where I am. My partner doesn’t like purging “in case we can use it someday”. Or “why get rid of the extra blender, what if this one breaks”.
I keep saying that the space and time will FREE us to do things that really matter.
The idea of getting rid of something we haven’t used or “valued” in over a year, 2 years, 5 years doesn’t seem to sink in.
Ideas??

I am in the process of becoming minimalist. Despite the appeal of consumerism, I am amazed at how good I feel every time I simplify my life in one way or another. It makes me want to simplify even more.

Thank you for writing this; it reinforces my motivation to do more with less. :-)

I can say from personal experience that, after years as a typical consumer in the hamster wheel, life truly became more focused, more enjoyable and less stressful when started living the the luxury of little. I wrote a bit about it in an article for the Dallas Morning News.

Totally onboard with minimalism and have been for almost twenty years when my wife and I became vegetarians and committed to live lightly on the earth. We are self-propelled (mostly), commuting by bike or foot, live in a modest sized 2 bedroom condo with our two boys, dog and cat, and try to inspire our boys by our example.

That said, I find the external de-cluttering to be relatively easy compared to the internal baggage I carry. The biggest battle in becoming a whole minimalist is within.

I’ve been such a pack-rat with so many of my thoughts, beliefs and mindless chatter. I yearn for an internal space where and when I can truly let go of cherished and reviled boxes of mental “stuff” that I’ve held on to.

Incredible, the clutter I keep inside. For what? Just in case….I don’t know.

Working on it. Meditation helps. Wish letting go of the internal stuff was as easy as packing up the twenty or thirty garbage bags of things we recently dropped at the Sally Ann! ;)

After, check out the book “The Sedona Method”. It teaches you how to let go of emotional “stuff” like little kids do. I’ve used it to release fears and other emotions, and its led to less circling of the thought processes. My mind is calmer because of it.

Joshua, Your articles are the only ones I read entirely on a daily basis. How I wish I’d have heard about this sooner! I am a 50+ woman who has made some changes since reading your blog. I no longer feel the need to buy something new everytime I’m in a store, I am slowly getting rid of things around my home and starting to declutter. I am learning how to enjoy the simple things in life such as tending a garden, going for walks, meditating, spending time with friends, trying to stay in the present, and appreciating nature. I just wanted to say “thank you” for everything you have taught me.

I’m learning to let go of things but find it hard. Always feel really good after a good purge. One thing that helps is my absolute recoil reaction to the “must have” and “essential” labels used in advertising.
Also agree with After the Pulpit about mind clutter.
Thanks for the inspirational material.

Speaking of preaching, do you have a spiritual path you recommend that embraces and teaches minimalism. I want to ground my children in these beliefs through community, shared values and teaching.

I have a Christian background, but find myself very turned off by the American Christian Church who claim to follow a poor Jewish carpenter who owned nothing, but really seem to just care about accumulating all the same things as the culture judging from the cars they drive, the homes they live in and the churches they build.

Buddhism perhaps? I know you are avoiding religion, but I sure would live to know what faith really believes and lives this stuff?

Hello from Croatia! Firstly, I love your blog and it is very inspirational to me. My husband is also very happy that I have stopped collecting/keeping all sorts of unnecessary things. We do baby steps in removing stuff from our house, but we are on the right way. I feel really content with every bag of things out of our house (and it’s not like we have been floating in clutter and mess until now!)
What I wanted to comment regarding the article above (and minimalism in general) is that this is the hard way for most of the people. Having stuff and taking care about stuff, keeps your mind of problems and worries. Choosing what is served to us (in commercials, flyers..), and not thinking about things we choose and buy is the easier way. This is why, in my opinion, minimalism will never be excepted in the way it should be. Consumerism is the easier way to fulfil us with a feeling of content (at least for a little while), rather than really thinking about yourself, your life and dealing with your problems.
We have two kids and third on the way. We regularly donate stuff, and I still have a feeling that we have to much things that we don’t need. We live a life that’s far from Amish :)
I also hear/feel that people, to whom I mention minimalism, thinks of it as a phase in my life (especially because I’m pregnant now), but I’m sure it is not.
I will keep finding inspiration in your blog and will not give up because I hate consumerism, I want my kids to grow up with the right values in life and I don’t want (unneeded) stress in my life and my home.
All the best,
Dina

Dina, I have the same thing. People thinking, oh no, here’s her latest thing… The worst part is that I’m also scared I won’t manage to hang on to it. I feel like I’m really clarifying what’s important in my life and I really want to keep doing that, I don’t want it to just be a phase.

Thanks, Josh for all your articles which give me such interesting ideas and motivation.

I just found your site and I have found kindred spirits. I have come to know and engender what you’re talking about but I didn’t know how to describe it even to myself – Buddhism seemed not quite it. I like your purely secular approach. My often-repeated comment was that I felt like my possessions owned me. Over the past few years I have continually jettisoned non-essential possessions and felt the freedom you talk about. I call it the backpack of life – just what’s necessary.

I started last summer and read these blogs and comments daily. One thing that stands out to me is out of all the life changes people make (e.g. diets), the individual version of minimalism remains a permanent change. I rarely see people who, once turned on and learn the feeling of having the clutter shackles off, never change back.

Never has a change been easier and hit me with so much permanence. My shopping habits changed so much for either things I truly need or absolutely love – anything else I put in the shopping cart stirs up feelings that it is immoral. I never ever want to go back to that place of letting tangibles control my life.